Ngatea and Turua firefighters double check for hot spots in the remains of a building in Kerepehi today. Photo/Supplied
Ngatea and Turua firefighters double check for hot spots in the remains of a building in Kerepehi today. Photo/Supplied
Two Waikato women have lost all their possessions in a fire which destroyed their makeshift accommodation.
Waikato specialist fire investigator Kevin Holmes said there were only charred remains left of the large 30m x 15m building on McGowan Ave, Kerepehi.
The building, which sat behind the Murphy Bus depot, hadbeen "completely demolished".
"There was a couple of people living in one end. It had been converted into a living area and the rest was used as storage and it's been completely destroyed."
Those who first spied the fire noticed the flames were coming from the end that was being lived in, he said.
The women's accommodation has been completely destroyed. Photo/Supplied
The building also sits next to Kerepehi School which was fortunate to have the right wind direction.
It's unclear what caused the fire and Holmes would begin his investigations this afternoon.
The occupants had no insurance and are still trying to find their cats. The blaze went to a second alarm, which meant more firefighters were called in from Turua to help Ngatea fight the 11.15am blaze.
Principal Moana Te Moananui said all the children were evacuated onto the lawn as a precaution.
This is all that remains of makeshift accommodation in the small Waikato town after a fire tore through it this afternoon. Photo/Supplied
"We were fine. It's right next door, there's a wooden fence that separates us. The kids just went through a fire drill and all the kids were on the back field. Fortunately the smoke was blowing away from the school, so the kids are fine, the classrooms are fine."
However, it was quite an eye-opener for the pupils to see how the firefighters worked.
"The kids go 'wow, this is the first time the alarm's gone off and it's for a real fire'. They watched in amazement about how the fire brigade worked, and they were well out of danger."
